Clevedon in Somerset

Visit Clevedon and the surrounding villages and stay in bed & breakfast accommodation:

Clevedon, Somerset. This resort has long been fashionable owing to its nearness to Bristol and remains more Victorian than most both in aspect and manner. Seventy-four years before the opening of its pier confirmed its resorthood in 1869, the poet Coleridge came to it for his honeymoon and stayed two months. The Elton family regularly entertained the famous at their great house of Clevedon Court. This beautiful house (on the eastern outskirts), now owned by the National Trust, is Clevedon's outstanding building. Basically l2th century with major additions, principally in the 14th, 16th and 17th centuries, it has a fine great hall, an exceptional 14th century window, and contains a collection of Elton Ware pottery and Nailsea glass. While a guest in it, Thackeray wrote parts of Henry Esmond and Vanity Fair.

The student of Victoriana might find interest in Linden, Victoria, and Prince's roads, the Six Ways and the G.P.O., all near the town centre. Otherwise there is the sea-front with most of the usual amenities; or, beside an unspoilt headland at the south-west end of the town, St Andrew's Church, which is partly Norman and in which Arthur Hallam, whose sudden death inspired Tennyson's “In Memoriam”, was buried. The experts say Coleridge's honeymoon home was near here, although a cottage some way East in Old Church Road bears a plaque claiming it was there. To the North East of the town is a golf course, in the centre of which the probably early l7th century ruined folly called Walton Castle is highly dangerous and private. Also to the North Ladye Bay is, unusual for this coast, a rocky cove, and the downs beyond it make pleasant walking.